Djou trying to sabotage transit, says Abercrombie

The councilman seeks an inquiry into a city mass-transit contract

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has accused City Councilman Charles Djou of political grandstanding and trying to sabotage the city's mass-transit bid.

"You'd better have the evidence at hand, or you'd better shut up or back up," Abercrombie said yesterday on the steps of the federal building, in a response to Djou's calls for a federal investigation into the city's award of a $9.7 million contract to examine transit alternatives.

Djou said his main concern with the contract award is that taxpayer funds are not wasted.

"It would be grandstanding if there were nothing there, if there weren't these lingering questions," Djou said. "But I think it's very clear universally, people see there are questions out there, that the facts have not been resolved, that there are issues hanging out there, and we would like some resolution to that."

Djou filed a complaint this week with U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead, requesting an investigation after the city failed to adequately explain to him how a political supporter of Mayor Mufi Hannemann became a subcontractor at the expense of other companies.

Djou said the inspector general received his complaint and has classified it as a public corruption case.

Abercrombie fired off his own letter to the inspector general, saying that without specific information, "you should consider the possibility that the request is an attempt to lure you into a fishing expedition."

Abercrombie said Djou does not have proof of corruption, and his complaint is the result of "sour grapes."

Djou failed to kill the transit tax increase that the city approved this year, the congressman noted. And Abercrombie asked why Djou was making a federal case out of the contract instead of first going to local authorities.

"When he steps into my territory for his own political purposes, well, he'd better think twice about it. And if he's going to do it, then he'd better have the evidence at hand," Abercrombie said.

Djou said the federal government is paying for 80 percent, or $7.6 million, of the study, so asking the U.S. Transportation Department inspector general was a logical choice. He said he does not know if there is anything illegal occurring, but the inspector general should decide.

"To say that (Abercrombie) is the arbiter of what can and cannot and what should or should not be filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general's office is absurd," Djou said.

Djou said he is worried that if there is a problem with the contract, it could cause the city to lose millions in federal funding.

"My point is not to derail the rail project," Djou said. "If there are problems, if there are hiccups -- and they very well just might be hiccups, not illegal conduct -- let's fix 'em now."